The present invention provides for a brokering device adapted to manage multimedia information including an interface device having access to a network and a multimedia service provider. The interface device enables selection of multimedia information from the network and provides the selected multimedia information to a plurality of locations without requiring the user to specify a protocol associated with the multimedia information.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A brokering device to manage multimedia information, the brokering device comprising: an interface device configured to select a multimedia content file, the interface device being configured to provide the selected multimedia content file to a plurality of multimedia devices without requiring a user to specify a protocol associated with the selected multimedia content file; a control module including a processing device, the processing device configured to discover the selected multimedia content file on a network and provide a function to a multimedia device in compliance with a policy; and a rule engine that communicates with the control module to provide the policy, the policy comprising an internal policy or an external policy, the policy permitting discovery of only a predetermined limited set of multimedia content files.
2. The brokering device of claim 1 , further comprising a discovery module to search for protocols, the discovery module operating in accordance with a network discovery protocol to communicate with the network, the discovery module operating in accordance with a device discovery protocol to obtain information from a multimedia device descriptor, the discovery module operating in accordance with a content discovery protocol to obtain information from a multimedia content descriptor, the discovery module operating in accordance with a user discovery protocol configured to communicate with a database and the network.
3. The brokering device of claim 2 , wherein the discovery module further comprises a self-registering feature that enables the device discovery protocol and the content discovery protocol to match the selected multimedia content file in the multimedia device.
4. The brokering device of claim 3 , wherein the self-registering feature further comprises a media hand-off feature enabling playing, stopping, and seeking of the selected multimedia content file and enabling payment at a prorated amount depending on an amount of time content is played on a multimedia device.
5. The brokering device of claim 2 , wherein the content discovery protocol further comprises a search feature capable of searching multiple storage locations for the selected multimedia content file.
6. The brokering device of claim 5 , wherein the search feature further comprises a classification feature to rate the selected multimedia content file based on information from a multimedia content descriptor including price, format, quality, and provider information.
7. The brokering device of claim 2 , wherein the content discovery protocol further comprises a restriction feature, the restriction feature configured to use the content discovery protocol to determine legal rights associated with the selected multimedia content file.
8. The brokering device of claim 2 , wherein the user discovery protocol further comprises a backup feature for storing multimedia content descriptor information and a copy of the selected multimedia content file.
9. The brokering device of claim 2 , wherein the user discovery protocol further comprises a messaging feature enabling sending and receiving of messages across the network.
10. The brokering device of claim 1 , further comprising an execution module that communicates with the control module and the network to identify and execute an operation being applied to implement the policy.
11. The brokering device of claim 1 further comprising a multimedia player device capable of playing the selected multimedia content file, wherein the selected multimedia content file includes more than one file format.
12. The brokering device of claim 1 , wherein the policy comprises an internal policy or an external policy.
13. A system for managing multimedia information comprising: a brokering device to manage multimedia information, the brokering device including: an interface device operative to select a multimedia content file, the interface device being configured to provide the selected multimedia content file to a plurality of multimedia devices without requiring a user to specify a protocol associated with the selected multimedia content file; a control module including a processing device configured to discover the selected multimedia content file on a network and provide functions to a multimedia device in compliance with a policy; and a rule engine that communicates with the control module to provide the policy, the policy comprising an internal policy or an external policy, the policy permitting discovery only of a predetermined limited set of multimedia content files; and a multimedia device configured to play the selected multimedia content file.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the brokering device further comprises: an execution module that communicates with the control module and the network to identify and execute an operation being applied to implement the policy; and a discovery module to search for protocols, the discovery module operating in accordance with a network discovery protocol for communicating with the network, the discovery module operating in accordance a content discovery protocol to obtain information from a multimedia content descriptor, the discovery module operating in accordance with a device discovery protocol to obtain information from a multimedia device descriptor, the discovery module operating in accordance with a user discovery protocol configured to communicate with a database and the network.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the discovery module further comprises a self-registering feature that enables the device discovery protocol and the content discovery protocol to match the selected multimedia content file in the multimedia device, the self-registering feature including a media hand-off feature enabling playing, stopping, and seeking of the selected multimedia content file and enabling payment at a prorated amount depending on an amount of time content is played on the multimedia device.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the content discovery protocol further comprises a restriction feature, the restriction feature configured to use the content discovery protocol to obtain information on legal rights associated with the selected multimedia content file, and a search feature to search multiple storage locations for the selected multimedia content file, the search feature including a classification feature to rate the selected multimedia content file based on information from a multimedia content descriptor including price, format, quality, and provider information.
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the user discovery protocol further comprises: a backup feature to store the multimedia content descriptor information and a copy of the selected multimedia content file; and a messaging feature configured to enable sending and receiving of messages across the network.
18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a multimedia player device capable of playing the selected multimedia content file, wherein the selected multimedia content file includes more than one file format.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the policy comprises an internal policy or an external policy.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 20, 2008
November 25, 2014
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